How long after losing your job can you apply for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor?
I got laid off from my warehouse job yesterday and I'm wondering how soon I can file for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor. My manager said something about waiting periods but I'm not sure what that means. Should I apply right away or do I need to wait? I'm really stressed about bills coming up and need to know the timeline. Also does it matter that I was only at this job for 8 months?
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Lucas Adams
You can and should apply immediately! There's no waiting period to FILE your claim with NYS Department of Labor. The sooner you file, the sooner your claim starts processing. However, there is a one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits, meaning your first payable week is actually your second week of unemployment. But definitely don't wait to apply - file as soon as possible after your last day of work.
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Chloe Green
•Thank you! So I can go online today and start the application? I was worried I had to wait a week before even applying.
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Harper Hill
yeah i filed like 3 days after getting fired and it was fine, just make sure you have all your info ready like your social security number and employer details
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Caden Nguyen
The 8 months at your job should be fine for meeting the work history requirements. NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings over the past 18 months, not just your most recent job. You'll need to have earned at least $2,600 during your base period to qualify. When you file online at labor.ny.gov, the system will automatically calculate if you meet the monetary requirements based on the wage information they have on file.
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Avery Flores
•Wait what if you don't meet the $2,600 requirement? I'm worried because I was only working part-time for most of last year before getting this full-time job.
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Caden Nguyen
•If you don't meet the regular base period requirements, NYS Department of Labor will automatically check your alternate base period which uses more recent quarters. Part-time work definitely counts toward your earnings total.
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Zoe Gonzalez
I remember being so confused about this when I got laid off. Applied the same day and then kept calling NYS Department of Labor trying to figure out why I wasn't getting paid immediately lol. The one week waiting period is just how it works, you don't get paid for your first week but you still have to file the weekly claim for it.
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Chloe Green
•So I have to file something every week even during the waiting period?
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Lucas Adams
•Yes, you must file your weekly claims starting with your first week of unemployment even though you won't receive payment for that first week. This is crucial for maintaining your claim.
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Ashley Adams
The whole NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing honestly. I filed right away when I lost my job but then my claim got stuck in adjudication for like 6 weeks because they wanted to verify why I was laid off. If you can't get through to them on the phone, I used this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo that explains how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Avery Flores
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already worried about money.
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Ashley Adams
•It's worth checking out their site for the details, but honestly it saved me so much time and stress compared to trying to reach NYS Department of Labor on my own. The peace of mind was worth it for me.
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Alexis Robinson
just apply asap there's literally no downside to filing early but there definitely is to filing late
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Elijah Jackson
@Chloe Green - Don't stress too much about the 8 month thing! I was in a similar situation last year where I'd only been at my job for about 6 months when I got laid off. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim because they look at ALL your work history in the base period, not just your most recent job. If you had any other jobs in the past 18 months, those earnings count too. The key is to apply TODAY - seriously, don't wait another day. You can do it all online at labor.ny.gov and it takes maybe 30-45 minutes to complete the initial application. Make sure you have your SSN, driver's license, and last employer's info handy. The waiting period that your manager mentioned is just the one week waiting period before benefits start, but you still need to file your weekly claims during that time.
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Hannah White
•This is really helpful advice! I'm definitely going to apply today. Quick question though - when you say they look at ALL work history in the base period, does that include jobs from different states? I worked in New Jersey for a few months before moving to New York and getting this warehouse job.
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